Chocolate Haupia Cupcakes

My daughter was married in Hawaii and her wedding cake was a dark, almost black, chocolate cake with Haupia (Hawaiian Coconut Pudding) in between the layers. Ever since then I vowed to make my own or some rendition of it! So here's my rendition of it in a cupcake style with a sweet Haupia filling. It's easy to make and won't last long, that's for sure! LOL! This recipe yields 24 cupcakes.

INGREDIENTS

Cake & Frosting:

1 box Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix

3 Large Eggs

1 Cup Water

1/3 Cup Vegetable Oil

1 - 16oz can Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Frosting

1 - Package of Sweetened Coconut Flakes

2 - 12 Cupcake Pans

Silver Cupcake Liners (enough for 24 cupcakes)

Haupia filling: (You can buy this packaged or make from scratch)

2 - 2oz Envelopes of NOH Brand Haupia (Sold in Hawaii, mainland Asian Grocery stores and online.)

Here's the recipe if you want to make the Haupia filling from scratch.

2 cups Coconut Milk

1/2 cup Sugar

3 Tablespoon Cornstarch

1/2 cup Water

1 teaspoon Coconut Extract

1. Mix sugar and cornstarch with water in a bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat the coconut milk in a medium saucepan.

3. Stir sugar/cornstarch mixture into hot coconut milk.

4. Cook stirring constantly, until mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat.

5. Stir in coconut extract and cool.

DIRECTIONS

1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions using eggs, water and oil.

2. Cool cupcakes completely.

3. Using the cone method, cut a cone shape out of the center of each cupcake. Holding the cupcake in one hand, insert a small paring knife, at an angle, about half way down into the cupcake. Cut out a cone shaped piece out of the center of each cupcake. Make certain not to cut or poke a hole in the bottom of the cupcake.

 4. Cut or break off the tip of cone to leave room for Haupia filling.

 5. Mix Haupia according to package directions using water. Or use the recipe above. As Haupia cools, it will thicken. Keep stirring until its lumpy.

6. Spoon quickly into the cupcakes and replace cupcake tops.

7. Frost cupcakes.

8. Dip cupcakes in a small shallow bowl filled with coconut flakes, making certain to cover frosting with coconut flakes.

**Store in airtight container. Yield 24 cupcakes.